Adjustable mail-box support



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,531

- J.A.SLUSS ADJUSTABLE MAIL BOX SUPPORT Fiied April 26, 1927 J11 6111 86. noeuloz Patented Nov. 13, 1928 UNITED STATES 1,691,531 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. SLUSS, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE. I

ADJUSTABLE MAIL-BOX SUPPORT.

Application filed April 26, 1927. Serial No. 186,753.

a support upon which a mail box may be mounted and swung into position where it may be easily reached by the mail carrier without leaving his automobile or other vehicle and then returned to its normal position at one side of the road.

Another object of the invention is to provide the support with an improved type of box-carrying arm and to further provide improved means to pivotally mount the boxcarrying arm upon a post or standard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket for the box-carrying arm which may be formed from strips of metal and will be very strong and durable and not liable to be bent out of shape by the weight of the box or by rough handling.

Another object of the invention is to re leasably hold the box-carrying arm in its normal position at one side of the road P through the medium of a latch carried by the mounting bracket and so constructed that it may be readily moved to release the boxcarrying arm so that the arm may be swung outwardly towards the mail man and re-engaged therewith when the arm is returned to its normal position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein a Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved mail box support;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing the latch in elevation and upper bar of the boxcarrying arm or bracket in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of a pole by means of which the mail carrier releases the latch and swings the box carrier towards him;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of latch,

The standardl which forms a portion of the mail box mounting is preferably a woodon post but may be formed of metal or any other suitable material, The standard is embedded in the ground at one side of a road and is of asuitable height. In order to pivotally mount'the swinging box-carrying arm which is indicated in general bythe numeral 2, there has been provided upper and lower brackets 3 and 4 which are secured to the post or standard 1, as shown in .from the front of the post.

Fig, 1, The upper bracket 3 is U-shaped and is formed from a strip of fiat metal bent intermediate its length to provide a bridge portion 5 and side arms 6. The side arms are twisted, as shown at 7, so that their end portions 8' may rest flat upon the upper end of the post 1 where they are firmly secured by screws or other suitable fasteners 9, An auxiliary bracket 10, which is also formed from a strip of flat metal and substantially V-shaped in top plan, isdisposed between the. arms of the U-shaped bracket 3 with its head portion 11 projecting from the post and its arms overlapping the portions 8 of the arms 6 and firmly secured by screws or other suitable fasteners 12. It will thus be seen that the upper U-shaped bracket together with the auxiliary bracket will be very firmly anchored to the post with portions projecting transversely The lower bracket 4, which is also formed of metal, is secured against the front of the post beneath the projected head portion 11 of the auxiliary bracket and is provided with a tongue 13 which projects outwardly and is formed with an opening 14 substantially alined with an opening 15 in the head portion of the auxiliary bracket.

The box carrier 2 is formed from a metal rod which is preferably circular in cross section and bent intermediate its length to provide an upper horizontal bar 16 and depending brace 17. The ends of the bar 16 and brace 17 are bent to form depending pins 18 and 19 whichare passed through the openings 15 and 14 to pivotally mount the box carrier. These depending pivot pins 18 and 19 are threaded and carry securing nuts 20 and 21'which serve to retain them in place and thereof out. of the openings. Adjacent its outer end the upper horizontal bar 16 is flattened to provide seats 22 having openings formed therein toreceive bolts or other revent accidental movement suitable fasteners 23 by means of which cross bars 2-it are held in place. These cross bars have their end portions formed with openings 25 to receive screws or other suitable fasteners by means of which a mail box of a suitable construction is to be secured It will, of course, be obvious that additional cross bars 24 may be provided if an extra large box is to be supported. By having the box carrier pivotally mounted,-it may be normally disposed at one side of the rier without leaving his vehicle.

It is desired to have the box carrier releasably held in the retracted or normal position so that it is not liable to be swung outwardly by wind, and in order to do so there has been provided a latch 26 which is formed from a short strip of metal and may be of the specific construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or formed as shown in Fig. 5. The strip fromwhich the latch shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is formed is bent in spaced relation i to its ends to form an intermediate portion 27' and ofiset upper and lower end portions 28 and 29 disposed above and below the cooperating arm 6 of the U-shaped bracket 3 when the latch is in avertical position. A bolt 30 is passed through alined openings formed in the latch and bracket arm and carries spring 31 which is confined between the head of the bolt and outer face of the latch stripand serves to hold the latch strip in engagement with the bracket arm and yieldably resist turning of the latch about the bolt. The offset upper end portion of the latch is formed with a notch or recess 32 of su'liicient depth to receive the upper bar 16 of the box carrier, as shown in Fig. 2, and from an. inspection of this figure it will be readily seen that the latch will firmly hold the box carrier in the retracted or normal position and prevented troin being accidentally swungoutwardly.

When the mail carrier desires to place mail in the box, a pole 33 which is carried in the vehicle is thrust outwardly and the depend ing lower end portion 29 of the latch engaged in the recess 34: between the prong 35 and hook 36 of the metal head 37 carried by the pole. A pushing action is then applied which will serve to swlngthc latch about the bolt until the latch is disposed at such an angle that the upper bar of the box carrier may be swung forwardly out of the recess or notch 32, The upper arm 01 the box carrier is then engaged by the hook 36 and the pole drawn upon to swing the box carrier into position where the boxniav be readily reached by the mail man. The mail to be collected is then removed from the box and mail to be delivered placed therein and the upper bar of the carrier or support 16 engaged in therecess 34 and a pushing action applied to return the box and supportto the original position. When the.box

carrier is returned to the. original position, upper arm moves into the recess 32 of the latch and causes the latch to be returned to the vertical position with its upper and lower end portions in overlap sing and inter locking engagement with t e upper and lower edges of the cooperating arm 6 of the bracket 3 and the support will be again securely but releasably held in the normal position. f

The latch, which is shown in Fig. 5 and may be substituted for the latch shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is alsoformed from a short strip of metal and will have its upper and lower end portions projecting from the arm of the bracket 3 and its projected upper end portion formed with a notch or recess similar to the notch 32.. The metal strip 38 from which. this latch is formed has its side portions bent to form flanges 39 which project towards the arm of the bracket 3 and are adapted to fit into grooves 4:0 formed in the outer vface of the arm 6 of the bracket. A bolt 41, similar to the bolt 30, is passed through alined openings in the bracket arm and latch and carries a spring 42 which engages the outer face of the latch and forces it toward the braeketarm so that the flanges 39 will be firmly seated in the grooves 40. The side flanges will, therefore, be interlocked with the arm of the bracket 3 and the box carrier may be securely but releasably held in the normal position.

vl-llaving thus described the invention, 1 claim:

l. A device oi the character described comprising a standard, a support, means carried by the standard and loosely engaged by the support to pivotally connect the support with, said standard for movement in a horizontal plane, a bracket extending from said standard beneath a portion of said support to bracerthe support, and a latch movably 7 connected with said bracket and adapted to be moved into and out of position to engage said support and releasably hold the support in a set position. 7

2. A device of the character described comprising astandard, a support, means carried by the standard and loosely engaged by the support to pivotally connect the support with said standard for movement in a'horizontal plane, a bracket extending from said standard beneath a portion of said support to brace the support, and a latch pivotally connected with said bracket and yieldably interlockedtherewith in position to engage said support and releasably secure the support in a set position.

3. A device of the character described comprising a standard, a support pivotally connected with said standard for movement in a horizontal plane, a bracket extending from said standard beneath a portion of said support, and at latch pivotally connected with said bracket and yieldably held in engagement with a portion of a side face thereof and having a portion interlocking with the bracket to releasably hold the latch in a vertical position with the support seated in a seat formed in the upper portion of the latch and held in a set position.

t, A device of the character described comprising a standard, upper and lower brackets carried by said standard, an auxilibracket carried by said upper bracket, a support including horizontal arm pivoted to said auxiliary bracket and a bracing arm pivoted to said lower bracket, the horizontal arm extending across said upper bracket, and a latch carried by said upper bracket and adapted to engage the horizontal arm of said support to releasably hold the support in a set position.

A device of the character described comprising a standard, a U-shaped bracket carried by said standard and projecting transversely therefrom, an auxiliary bracket carried by the arms of said U-shaped bracket and projecting from the standard, a bearing bracket carried by said standard. beneath said U-shapcd bracket, a support including a horizontal arm pivoted to said auxiliary bracket and extending from said standard across said lJ-shaped bracket and a brace arm pivoted to said bearing bracket, and a latch carried by one a m of said Ll-shaped bracket and adapted to engage the horizontal arm of said support to releasably hold the support in a set position.

6, A device of the character described comprising a standard, a U-shaped bracket carried by said standard and projecting transversely therefrom, an auxiliary bracket carried by the arms of said U-shaped brackst and projecting from the standard, a hearing bracket carried by said standard beneath said U-SlllPG-Cl bracket, a support including a horizontal arm pivoted to said auxiliary bracket and extending from said standard across said U-shaped bracket and a brace arm pivoted to said bearing bracket, a pin projecting outwardly from one arm of said U-shaped bracket, a latch to engage the horizontal arm of said support pivoted upon said pin and adapted to releasably hold the support in a set position, and a spring upon said pin engaged with said latch to yieldably resist movement of the latch.

7. A device of the character described comprising a standard, a U-shaped bracket carried by said standard and projecting transversely therefrom, an auxiliary bracket carried by the'arms of said U-shaped bracket and projecting from the standard, a bearing bracket carried by said standard beneath said U-shaped bracket, a support including a horizontal arm pivoted to said auxiliary bracket and extending from said standard across said U-shaped bracket and a brace arm pivoted to said bearing bracket, a pin projecting outwardly from one arm of said U- shaped bracket, a latch to engage the horizontal arm of said support pivoted upon said pin. and adapted to releasably hold the support in a set position, said latch having a recess to receive the horizontal arm of said support and an oflset'portion to engage the armot the U-shaped bracket and interlock therewith, and a spring upon said pin engaged with said latch to yieldably resist movement of the latch.

8. A device of the character described comprising a standard, a U-shaped bracket carried by said standard and projecting transversely therefrom, an auxiliary bracket carried by the arms of said U-shaped bracket and projecting fromrthe standard, a bearing bracket carried by said standard beneath said U-shaped bracket, a support including a horizontal arm pivoted to said auxiliary bracket and extending from said standard across said U-shaped bracket and a brace ar pivoted to said bearing bracket, a pin projecting outwardly from one arm of said Ushaped bracket, a latch to engage the horizontal arm of said support pivoted upon said pin and adapted to releasably hold the support in a set position, said latch having a recess to receive the horizontal arm of said support and side flanges to fit into grooves formed in the arm of the U-shaped bracket and resist turning of the latch, and a spring 1 upon said pin to yieldably retain the latc against movement with its flanges seated in the grooves.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES A. sLUss. [1 5.1 

